Shuttle driving mechanism for looms



May 28, 1940. e. CROMPTON, JR

SHUTTLE DRIVING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In W W/ ////A Iwr Jwuszml m Fllil y 1940. G. CROMPTON, JR 2,202,574

' SHUTTLE DRIVING MECBAN ISM FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE George Crompton,

Jr. Worcester, Mass.

Application January 18, 1989, Serial No. 250,821

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a shuttle driving mechanism for looms, and with regard to its more specific features to shuttle driving mechanism for looms in which a plurality of shuttles are simull taneously moved.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable shuttle driving mechanism. Another object of the invention is to provide a shuttle driving mechanism involving the movement 10 of a plurality of shuttles simultaneously through spaces which are respectively substantially longer than the respective shuttles. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shuttle driving mechanism for a loom of thetype disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,980,666. Another object of the invention is to provide improved shuttle driving mechanism adapted for the narrow fabric system of shuttles. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out .p hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as willbe exemplifled in the structure to be hereinafter described,

3. and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the mechanical features of this invention:

an Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through a loom showing mechanism embodying the in vention applied thereto; and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

'As conducive to a clearer understanding of the present invention, it is noted that the loom disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,980,666 is adapted for the production of a fabric consisting of alternate sections of knitted and woven structure, extending in the direction of the warp. As disclosed, the loom included a plurality of straight 45 shuttles propelled between weaving spaces from pairs of shuttle blocks to other pairs of shuttle blocks, the immediate driving mechanism being rack and pinion driving mechanism of the type well known in the narrow fabric industry. Such 50 rackand pinion shuttle driving mechanism involves certain ratios between the length of the shuttles and blocks on the one hand, and the lengths of the weaving spaces on the other hand, and therefore determines certain ratios between 5 the width of the woven sections and the width of the knitted sections of the goods. According to the present invention I may make use of the identical main driving motion for actuating all of the shuttles disclosed in the aforesaid application, but for intermediate driving mechanism (with which the present invention is concerned) I substitute in place of the rack and pinion driving means of said earlier application, the driving mechanism hereinafter described.

Referring now to Figure l, I provide a lay retained between guides l2and l8 resting on the loom frame M. Guides l2 and i8 are provided near each end of the lay I I, and hold the lay from movement in a horizontal plane, but allow it to be moved up and down. As the lay is heavy I provide one or more springs l5 at each end to relieve the mechanism of part of the weight thereof, but it should be understood that the weight of the lay is greater than the combined tension of all of the springs so that the tendency of the lay is to move downwardly. Desirably also I provide rubber bumpers IS. The camshaft ll of the. loom has secured to it cams i8 engaging rollers I8 secured to levers 28 pivoted to the loom frame at 2|. The levers 20 are connected to the lay II by pin and slot connections 2|. Revolution of the cams i8 causes the lay ii to be moved up and down, it being shown in the um permost position in Figure 1. The lay corresponds to the stationary lay of the aforesaid patent.

v I provide lay swords 28 secured to an overhead rock shaft 24 and adapted to be oscillated by connectors 25 and associated mechanism disclosed in my aforesaid patent. I provide also reed brackets 26 and 21 securing in place a plurality of reeds 28 as in the aforesaid application. The relation of the cam l8 to the cam (not shown herein) oscillating the reeds 28 is such that the reeds 28 are moved forwardly when the lay II is in the lowermost position.

Referring now to Figure 2, in place of the rack rod of the narrow fabric type of shuttle driving mechanism I provide a bar 88 located in a deep groove 8| in the lay. Connected to the ends of the bar 88 are straps 82 passing around rollers 88 at either end of the lay. Connected to the straps 82 on the bottom of the lay II is a slidable member 84 which is connected by means of a link 85 to an operating lever 88 which may receive its motion from vibrator gear mechanism as disclosed in my aforesaid application. Movement of the lever 88 causes movement of the bar 88 in the opposite direction.

Secured to the bar 88 is a plurality of electromagnets 38 having opposite pole pieces 39, 39

and suitable windings 40. Electromagnets 39 are continuously energized from any suitable source of power, by means, for example, of contact brushes 4| and 42 (see Figure 1) located in the lay H and engaging with suitable insulated metallic strips 43 and 44. The current is led to the electromagnets 38 from the contact strips 43 and 44 (preferably in parallel) by suitable wiring not shown. Current may be led to the contacts 4| and 42 by a flexible current conducting medium from any suitable source of power.

Referring now to Figure 1, the poles 39, 39 of the electromagnets substantially contact with a brass race plate 48 for the top of the lay II. I provide shuttles 50 having U-shaped armatures (see now Figure 2) whose ends are spaced apart the same distance as the pole pieces 39. Suitably journaled in the shuttles 50 are nonmagnetic rollers 52. When traversing through the spaces the shuttles 50 are guided by the reeds 28, and when outside the spaces the shuttles are guided, at the back thereof, by fiat backs 54.

The shuttles are held in position over the electromagnets 38 by the electromagnetism. When the bar 30 is moved the shuttles will travel over the lower part of the warp shed 55, friction being lessened by the rollers 52. Preferably the axes of the rollers 52 are slightly inclined so that the shuttles have a tendency to press against the reeds 28 and the backs 54, and the shuttles preferably are tapered in both planes at the ends.

The rising and falling motion of the lay II is for the purpose of allowing the reeds 28 to come forward and at the same time permitting the electromagnets to be placed very close to the armatures of the shuttles. In fact the brass plate 48 may be made very thin so as practically to lock the shuttles to the electromagnets. As shown in the drawings the reeds 28 (whose width represents the width of the woven goods) are considerably wider than the distance between reeds (which distance represents the width of the knitted sections).

The shuttle motion (vibrator gear mechanism or the like) may be timed to actuate the shuttles during less than half of the period of revolution of the loom camshaft I1, and the cams that oscillate the reeds 28 may be timed to complete said oscillation in slightly less than half the period of revolution of the camshaft II, the balance of the period of revolution of said camshaft being the time allowed for the rise and fall of the lay II', and representing the actuating portions of the cam l8. When the shuttles 50 are moving the lay II is in its upward position, as shown in Figure 1; when the reeds 28 are moving the lay is in its lowermost position. The levers 20, as

shown in Figure 2, are offset from the rubber bumpers I6, and the springs may be offset likewise, or may be inserted in holes in the bumpers as indicated. It is contemplated that the remainder of the loom may be as described in my aforesaid .United States patent, and if desired the shuttle extensions 56 may be pivoted at 51 to the shuttle bows 58 in order to avoid the tipping of the shuttles when they descend by reasonof contact of the shuttle extensions 58 with the dividers and sinkers of the knitting mechanism, not shown herein.

It will of course be understood that the ultimate shuttle motion which moves the bar 30 may be and preferably is organized to give the shuttles 50 the desired motion, not only through a single weaving space when desired, but also through two weaving spaces in a single movement as set forth in my aforesaid patent, and it is not to be'inferred that the parts shown herein are scaled to the same scale as those in my patent. The lever 36 herein is intended to be rep, resented at its central position, so it will be apparent that at all times the link 35 permits vertical motion of the lay ll without substantially altering the positions of the shuttles on said lay. I

In place of the electromagnets 38 I might use permanent magnets of substantially the same shape, especially those now on the market under the trade-mark "Alnico," made by General Electric Company.

It will thus be seen that there has been'provided by this invention a shuttle driving mechanism for looms in which the various objects hereinabove set forth, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features, and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a loom, a reed, means to move the reed, a lay, a race on said lay, a shuttle on said race, magnetic means in the lay to drive said shuttle, said reed being at that time behind said shuttle, and means to raise and lower the lay, whereby to permit the shuttle and the magnetic means to be brought close together. the reed moving to beat up the weft when the lay is lowered;

2. In a loom as claimed in claim 1, the combination with the parts and features-therein specifled; of additional reeds in line with the reed specified, i. e. having their front surfaces located in a common plane, and additional shuttles on the single race, the magnetic means being embodied in a plurality of devices to movea'll the shuttles in unison.

3. In a loom, a lay, a plurality of reeds inde- I pendent of said lay and located rearwardly of said lay to sweep over it, brackets holding said while when the lay is lowered there will be no impediment to forward movement of the reeds,

5s reeds, lay swords for said brackets, a plurality of.

GEO G CROMPTON, in. 

